Circuit controller for flash lights



- B. BENEDICT.

CIRCUIT CONTROLLER FOR FLASH LIGHTS.

APPHC'ATION FILED on. 23, 1917.

Patented Feb. 2i, 1922,...

. 6' 3 as '2; H 2- 2 20 as x UNITED STATES PATENT- OFFICE.

BERNARD BENEDICT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO NATIONAL CARBON GOM- PANY, INC OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

CIRCUIT CONTROLLER FOR FLASH LIGHTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 21, 1922.

Application filed October 23, ,1917. Serial No. 198,096.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BERNARD BENEDICT, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, in the county of Bronx, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Circuit Controllers for Flash Lights, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings, forming part thereof.

My invention relates to circuit controllers for portable electriclights or flashlights, and relates more particularly to that kind of circuit controller in which a spring-pressed manually operable push buttonfis combined with a manually operable slide, for convenience in obtaining short or long periods of illumination as desired. Examples of this kind of circuit controller are found in'the patents to Conrad Hubert for port: able electric lights, No.1-,047,525 of December 17, 1912, and No. 1,220,634 of March 27,

1917. Objects of my invention are to secure in circuit controllers of this kind, a

more effective circuit-controlling action, to render slight inaccuracies of construction negligible, to minimize the effects of wear, simplicity of construction, inexpensiveness of manufacture, durability, continued maintenance in operable condition, and other objects and advantages which will hereinafter ap ear.

y invention includes a movable circuit controlling member'at the inside of the casing part and co-operative with the push button for operating the latter, {this inwardly located circuit-controlling member being operated by a manually operable member at the outside of the casing part. More particularly, my invention includes a sheet metal slidable circuit-controlling memher at the inner side of the casing part and which has a bifurcated end for engaging the push button for operating and guiding the latter, this slidablecircuit-controlling member being operated by means of a manually operable slide at the outside of the casing part and connected through the casing part to such slidable member. My invention also includes features of construction and combinations-of parts, as will appear from the following description.

I shall now describe the portable electric light or flashlight embodying the circuit controller of my invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings and shall thereafter point out the invention in claims.

' Figure 1 is a central longitudinal section with parts in elevation of a tubular portable electric light embodying my invention with the circuit in the open condition.

Figure 2 is an elevation of an electrically conductive and insulated sheet metal reflector support which is included in the lamp clrcuit in the portable electric light embodying my invention which is illustrated in the drawings.

Figure 3 is a partial plan view on an enlarged scale, and shows th contact box and its adjuncts, including the movable circuitcontrolling part carried'thereby, as viewed from above in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged View similar to Figure 1 with parts omitted, and is a longitudinal section on a plane indicated by the lines 4-4 of Figure 3 as viewed from below.

Figure 5 is a partial transverse section on planes indicated by the oifset line 5-5 of Figure 4 as viewed from the right.

Figure 6 is an inverted plan view of the contact box and the movable circuit-controlling parts carried thereby, and shown as in the open circuit position. i Figure 7 is a similar view with the contact spring and push button omitted.

Figure 8 is another similar view of the contact box alone, all of the movable circuitcontrolling parts beingv omitted.

Figure 9 is a plan view of a slidable circuit-controlling member'at the inside of the contact box and cooperating with the push button.

Figure 10 is a plan view similar to Figure 3, illustrating the parts in circuit-closing position.

Figure 11 is a longitudinal section simiilar to Figure 4, on a plane indicated by the line 1111 of Figure was viewed from below.

A distinctive feature of my present invention is a slidable circuit-controlling member 1, which is co-operative with a usual springpressed push button 2 and manually operable slide 3, carried by a suitable casing part, shown as a metallic contact box or housing 4, which may be ofsubstantially usual or of any suitable construction. The rounded push button 2 projects to the outside of the contact box 4 through a round hole 5 therein, so that the push button 2 may be directly manually operated by pressure thereupon. The slide 3' is of sheet metal of a usual construction and is provided at its side witha pair of lugs 6 which extend to the inside of the contact box 4 through guide slots 7, and are shown as turne over inwardly toward each other upon the inner side of the flat slidable circuit-controlling member 1, which lies against the flat=inner side of the contact box 4, and which is shown as provided adjacent to its rear end with lateral notches 8 of the correct width for snugly receiving the lugs 6 of the slide 3, so that the slidable circuit-controlling member 1 is secured in place at the inside of the contact box 4 and connected to the manually operable slide 3 to move there with, the lugs 6 securing also the slide 3 in inwardly projecting tubular stud 12 struck down or punchedinwardly from the sheet place upon the contact box 4. At its forward end the slidable circuit-controlling member 1 is of bifurcated construction, having therein a deep middle notch 9 providing forwardly extendingilateral prongs 10. The notch 9 in the forwardend of the member 1 is of narrower width than the diameter of the base of the push button 2, as clearly ap-' pears in the drawings, and in the retracted or open circuitposition of this slidable circuit-controllin'g member 1 the ends of the prongs 10, which are shown as rounded, are

. located at the'rear of and just out of contact with the base of the rounded push button 2, as clearly appears in the drawings, particularly in igure 6 thereof.

The outwardly projecting push button 2 is located at the forward end of and is shown as formed'in one piece with a spring metal strip 11, which at its rear end is firmly secured to the inside of the contactbox 4-, and is shown as riveted thereto by means of an metal material of the contact box 4-. Near 1ts rear end and just forward of the securing stud12, the spring metal strip 11 is offset inwardly at 13, so as to prov1de, as ap- 'pears in the drawings, a free space between the spring 11 and the adjacent inner sur- 1 face of the top of the contact box 4,-for the accommodation of the slidab-le circuit-controlling member 1 and the inner turned-over ends of tin lugs 6 of the slide 3. Adjacent to the push button 2 and at a middle point transversely, the spring metal strip 11 is shown as provided with an inwardly and -rearwardly projecting spring contact prong or tongue 14, which i is shown as formed 1n one piece with and as punched out from the spring metal strip 11.

The sheet metal contact box or housing 4 is firmly held in place upon the outside of cylindrical battery-containing casing tube 15 of suitable insulatingmaterial such as vulcanized fiber, by means of tubular rivets or l 1 eyelets 16 and 17. The rivet' l7 at the right side of the contact box 4, looking toward the front end of the device and as viewed from the. right in the several figures of the drawings, at the inside of the insulating casing tube 15 holds in place and electrically connects the contact box 4 with the forward end of'a thin metallic circuit-completing strip 18, which is located in the rear end of the nonconducting casing tube 15, and extends from the rivet-forming eyelet 17 to the rear end of the casing tube 15, where it is held in place by and is in electrical continuity with a usual screw-threaded metallic end band 19, which is shown as firmly secured in a usual way on the rear end of the nonconducting casing tube 15, by means of eyelets 20, one of which appears in Figure 1. A usual metallic end cap 21 is screwed over the rear end band 19 and at the inside carries a'usual battery-supporting coiled thrust spring 22, which forms an electrical connection with the zinc terminal 23 of a usual dry battery having a usual outer paper insulating tube2 l i A second similar circuit-completing metal strip 25 is located within the forward end of the nonconducting casing tube 15, and at cuit closing position, as clearly appears in Figures 10 and 11 of the drawings. The circuit-completing metal strip 25 is shown as extending forward flush with the end of the nonconducting casing tube 15, and at its forv ward end is shown as forming an electrical connection with a usual form of metallic reflector 27. The metallic reflector 27 is shown as provided at its outer periphery with a slight out-turned flange 28, which is adapted to rest upon the inner part of the end surface of the nonconducting casing tube 15, which is shown as of considerable thickness. The reflector 27 carries centrally thereof an inwardly projecting screw-threaded metallic lamp socket 29 of usual form and shown as formed in the same piece with the metallic reflector 27.

' The reflector 27- and lamp socket 29 carried thereby are firmly supported within the outer end of the nonconducting casing tube 15, by means of a transversely arranged sheet metal supporting member 30, having ber 30. The transverse supporting memberv 30 has aplurality, shown as three in number, of supporting sides or arms 32, which are firmly secured at the inside of the nonconducting casing tube 15, by means of tubular rivets or eyelets 33, the outer ends or heads of which are countersunk below the outer surface of the casing tube 15, as appears in the drawings in Figure 1 at the top.- The eyelet 33 appearing at the top in F igure 1 also passes through and holds in place the forward or outer end of the metallic circuit-completing strip 25, which is shown as interposed between the inner surface of the casing tube 15 and the adjacent side arm 32 of the transverse supporting member 30,

it being noted in this construction that the circuit-completing strip 25 forms a good electrical connection with the transverse sheet metal supporting member 30. At the outer or forward end of the nonconducting casing tube 15, an end glass, shown as a usual lens 34, is held in place by means of a usual flanged lens-holding ring 35, shown as screwed over a usual screw-threaded end band 36, having a slight inturned end flange 37 and shown as firmly secured upon the end of the nonconducting casing tube 15 by means of rivets 38, one of which appears in the lower part of Figure 1. A usual miniature incandescent lamp having a bulb 39 has its terminal-forming base 40 screwed into thev lamp socket 29, and has its inwardly exposed central terminal 41 in contact with the carbon terminal 42 of the battery.

It is to be noted that the peripheral flange 28 of the metallic reflector 27 is spaced inwardly out of contact with the adjacent inturned flange 37 of the screw-threaded end band 36, and it is also to be noted in this connection, that by reason of the countersinking of the outer ends or heads of the eyelets 33, as well as also by the slight outward spacing of the rear unthreaded end part of the screw-threaded end band 36,

- there is no electrical connection between the outwardly exposed lens-holding ring 35, or the screw-threaded end band 36, and the metallic reflector 27, or the lamp socket 29 carried thereby, these inner metallic parts being'effectively electrically insulated from the outer metallic parts of the casing. It

should be further noted in this connection, that'the above described construction, including the transverse metallic supporting member 30,forms the subject of my patent for flash light, issued December 18, 1917,

r No. 1,250,945; I

It will now be evident that the electrical circuit of the battery through the lamp is continuous excepting as it may be broken between the outer end of the eyelet 26 and the movable contact tongue 14 of the spring 11, it being noted, as hereinbefore described, that the eyelet 26 is in electrical connection through the forward circuit-completing strip 25, and other above described intermediary parts, with the'lamp base 40, and that the movable tongue 14 of the spring 11 issimilarly in electrical connection through the rear circuit-completing. metal strip 18 and other intermediary parts, with the zinc terminal 23 of the battery.

action which will force the push button 2 in-- ward from its projecting position, appearing in Figures 1 to 6 inclusive, to the depressed circuit-closing position thereof, appearing in Figures 10 and 11, in which the contact-malt ing prong or tongue 14 of the spring 11 is rought into engagement or into firm contact with the outer end of the metallic eyelet 26, thereby to complete the circuit of the battery throughthe lamp as hereinbefore described. When the circuit-controlling slide 3 is retracted from its forward position appearing in Figures 10 and 11 to its 4 rear position appearing in the other figures of the drawings, the movable circuit-controlling parts, comprising the push button 2, spring 11 and prong 14, will be automatically returned to the open circuit position, by reason of the resiliency of the spring 11, as will be readily understood. It will be noted that the flat metallic slidable circuitcontrolling member 1 is firmly secured to the circuit-controlling slide 3 to move therewith by reason of the engagement of the lugs 60f the slide 3 in the notches 8 of the member 1.- It is to be noted that the construction and the arrangement of the parts are such that the circuit-controlling slide 3 in its circuit-controlling movement, at its forward end passes over the push button 2, but does not come into contact therewith, the circuitclosing movement of the push button 2 being entirely accomplished by the slidable member 1, which is adapted to depress the push button 2 in advance of the slide 3, as will be clear from the drawings, particularly Figure 11 thereof. Heretofore a slide similar to. the slide 3 has been arranged to come into contact with and directly operate a push button similar to the push button 2, whereas in my construction it will be noted that the function of the slide 3 is to operate the slidable circuit-controlling member 1, and that this inner slidable member 1 operates gble in prior constructions in the push button 2. The bifurcated shape of the forward end of the slidable circuit-controlling member 1 serves a plurality of purposes. One of the'important functions is that the spaced prongs 10 of the member 1 form between. them in the-notch 9 a guide for the outwardly rounded ush button 2, effectively preventing later l displacement of the push button 2 in the contact box 4, such as has heretofore sometimes given trouwhlch my invention was. not embod'ie'dL- Another advantage of thisbifurcated "construction of the slidable circuit-controlling member 1 is that the push button 2 will not be pushed in too far or to an excessive extent which might bend or otherwise damage or distort the movable parts of the circuit-controller, such for example as the spring 11 or its contact-making tongue 14. A further advantage is that there is no friction or rubbing of any metallic part upon the rounded outer end of the push button 2v such as would have a tendency to scratch and mar the finish of its polished surface. Also the spaced prongs 10 of the member 1, by reason of their engaging the sloping lateral edge parts of the push button 2, cause the memher 1 to exert a more effective wedging or cam action on the push button 3. will be noted that by reason of the fact that the slidablecircuit-controlling member 1 lies fiat against and is guided by the inner surface of the contact box t, that its action upon the push button 2 to depress the latter wlll be very firm andeflective, it being im-' the slidable member Ito yield,

possible for whereby a full extent of circuit-controlling movement will be imparted to the push but ton 2 and transmitted to the spring 11 and contact tongue 14 thereof. w

it is obvious that various modifications may be made in the construction illustrated in the drawings and above particularly described within the principle and scope of my invention.

I claim:

l.. A circuit controller for a portable electrlc light having, in combination, a metallic casing part, circuit -completing means including a spring metal strip at the inside of said casing part and fixed at one of its ends thereto and at its other end having a rounded push button projecting-from the inside to the outside of said casing part and there adapted to be exposed for manual actuation, a slidable circuit-controlling member in corn tact with the inner side of said casing part and slidable into and out of engagement With the push button thereby to cheat the closing or the openin of the circuit, said circuit-controlling mem rbeing bifurcated so as to engage with the marginal parts only of the push button, and a manually operableslide at the outside of said casing part and connected to said slidable circuit-controlling member for operating the latter.

2. A circuit controller for a portable electric light having,in comb inat1on, a casing part, an automaticall returning contact member at the inside'o said casing part and including a rounded push button projectin to the outside of said casing part for manua actuation, a slidablelcircuitwcontrolling memher at the inside of said .casing part and having a bifurcated endslidable into or out of engagement with the push, button thereby to effect the closing or the opening of the circuit, and a manually operable slide at the outside of said casing part connected to said slidable circuit-controlling member for op erating the latter.

3. A circuit controller for a portable electric lighthaving, in combination, a metallic casing part provided with guide slots for a manually operable slide, circuit-completing means including a spring metal strip at the inside of said casing part and fixed at one of its ends thereto and at its other end having a rounded push button projecting to the outside of said casing part formanual actuation, a fiat sheet metal slidable circuit-controlling member at'the inside of said casing part between said casing part and said spring metal strip andhaving a bifurcated end slidable into or out of engagement with the push button thereby to effect the-closing or'the opening of the circuit, and a. manually operable slide at the outside of sand casing par-t having projections passing through said guide slots in the casing part and engageable with said slidable circuitcontrolling member for operating the latter.

t. The invention claimed in claim 8 in which said slidable circuit-controlling mem? her is adapted in its circuit-closing movement to depress said push button in advance of said slide, whereby the slide maymove over the depressed push button without touching the latter.

5. The invention claimed in claim 3 in which said metallic casing part forms a contact box containing said contact-making springmetal strip "and slidable circuit-com I 4 I 115 6. A circuit-controller for a portable electrolling member;

tric light having, in combination, a metallic casing art-provided with guide slots for a manual y operable slide, an automatically returning contact member at the inside of said casing part and including a rounded push button projecting to the outside of said casing part for manual actuation, a slidable circuit-controlhng-member at the inside of said casing part and slidable in contact with the inner side of said casing part into or out of engagement with the outer rounded end of said push button thereby to effect the closing or the opening ofthe circuit, said circuitcontrolling member being provided withlateral notches in its opposite edges, and a manually operable slide at the outside of said casing art having lugs passing through said guide s ots in the casing part and fitting into said lateral notches in the'circuit-controlling member, said lugs being turned over upon the inner side of said circuit-controlling member, whereby saidmanually operable slide is secured to said circuit-controlling member to operate the latter andboth of these parts are secured upon said casing part.

7 A circuit-controller for a portable electrio light having, in combination, a casingpart, an automaticall returning contact member at the inside 0 said casing part and including a push button projecting from the, 20 inside to the outside of said casing part and there adapted'to be exposed for manual actuation, a slidable circuit-controlling member atthe inside of said casing part and there slidable into or out of engagement with the push button thereby to efi'ect the closing or the opening of the circuit, and a manually "operable slide exposed at the outside of said casing part for manu'alactuation and connected to said 'slidable circuit-controlling member for operatingthe latter, said slidable circuit-controlling member being'adapted in its circuit-closing movement to depress said push button in advance ofsa-id slide, whereby the slide may move over the depressed push button without touching the latter.

In testimony whereof, I have aflixed my signature to this specification.

BERNARD BENEDICT. 

